JDincalif

22 hours ago, ldubs said:

I like Hoka shoes.  They suck in the rain.  So my footwear advice is not Hokas.  😀

Hoka fans here too. The GoreTex Hokas are good for light to moderate showers; for anything more J uses rubber rain boots. 

Agree that a large light packable water resistant jacket over warmer layers offers the most versatile coverage.

We used Shore Excursions Group successfully and without any issues in southern Spain last November. What we do like about the site are the search function - enter the ship and itinerary dates for a list of what's available - and that the tours provide pickup at the port rather than requiring one to travel to a central/hotel location.

On 12/22/2023 at 8:17 PM, GeezerCouple said:

Question:  DId the Viking Sky not have survival suits in board?

🙄

Speaking for the Viking Sky passengers, we were given only life vests, which those who remained aboard the Sky through the crisis wore nonstop for about 20 hours. We saw no survival suits among the passengers or the valiant Sky crew.

At the same time, nine crew members of the nearby Haglund Captain cargo ship had to abandon ship, plunging directly into the water in survival suits, where all were successfully rescued by helicopters that had originally responded to the Sky. *That* must have been absolutely terrifying for those crew members 

Hypothermia, the threats of being dashed against the rocks or drowning in the high seas made the idea of survival suits cold comfort indeed 😉

On 12/25/2023 at 4:55 PM, Funbobby68 said:

Ok thanks , my wife want to know if it has a defuser ?

Usually there's a concentrator attachment with the hair dryer in the room, but we haven't seen diffusers. Good suggestion from AMHuntFerry to ask for one since at the very least these would be available in the salon.

16 hours ago, Haworth said:

I hope things improve health wise, I can totally sympathise with you having been diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer a couple of months ago. I had no symptoms it was picked up as part of a routine blood test.

We're stunned and saddened to learn of your unexpected diagnosis  Our thoughts, and those of everyone in this community, we're sure, will remain with you through this new health challenge.

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

The ending of this year is one I'm ready to move on from due to significant medical issues for DW 

We hope that healing comes sooner rather than later. Our thoughts are with you both.

To everyone in our Sky community: Our warmest wishes for happy holidays and all good things in the year to come.

Regarding the Search function on this site: It's sometimes faster and easier to use Google or similar,  entering (topic/question)+Cruise Critic in the Search bar. 

3 hours ago, sparks1093 said:

Thank you for the attempt at a  passive aggressive insult but yes, I do have a simple palate and simple taste. Makes life, simpler😉.

Simple tastes and palates are just as 'discerning' as more critical ones. Enjoy!

Anthony Bourdain has been credited with the quote "Good food is very often, even most often, simple food."

As an alternative to an actual suite or an actual wall, Regent has some good-sized rooms where the sleeping and living areas can be screened off by floor to ceiling curtains, giving a modicum of privacy.

"When the Giant Cruise Ships Came to Town", a five minute New Yorker documentary, gives a glimpse of how the fortunate residents of Gamle Stavanger experience these port days

https://youtu.be/XK2F1SeBQXY?feature=shared

10 hours ago, skindeep said:

Are there any other cruise lines that follow this philosophy that you have/would consider?

Among the cruise lines we've experienced, Regent is closest to the Viking experience, offering a high quality experience without unnecessary stuffiness. We also enjoyed the Azamara experience which to be fair was also enhanced by the "halo effect" of two consecutive sunny warm weeks in the Norwegian fjords.

On 10/11/2023 at 11:07 AM, ropomo said:

Additionally, the WC on an expedition ship is significantly larger with larger selection than Ocean ships. The WC also includes the "Grill" which has cooked to order steaks and lobster and a dedicated sushi and cold seafood area that has a wide selection of crab, shrimp, mussels, etc. Other than no table service, it offers a very good dining alternative.

Thanks for this information - it'll be useful to us as we plan for our Great Lakes cruise on Octantis next May. Have to confess though  that the 'World Cafe' wasn't the first thing to come to mind when we saw 'WC' 🤭

12 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

What are the chances of using the voucher from this cruise only to wind up on another cruise that also has encountered significant issues (nothing like the Sky of course) that will result in yet another as of yet undetermined voucher amount?!

Didn't realize that this was a rhetorical question.🤭  We were on an Auckland-Sydney voyage (not with Viking) early this year where more than half the port stops were cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, the sort of thing that's listed in the contract as ineligible for any compensation. Looks like Viking has offered you some voucher compensation for the missed ports? Not as gratifying as getting to all of the ports or a cash refund but more than many lines would offer.

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

What are the chances of using the voucher from this cruise only to wind up on another cruise that also has encountered significant issues (nothing like the Sky of course) that will result in yet another as of yet undetermined voucher amount?! 

Significant issues are hard to predict 😊. Without going into specifics we've found in similar circumstances that, working together with Viking and our TA, vouchers have been issued or reissued and honored without question. Refunds in any form apart from vouchers are rare. So we reapply our vouchers to new adventures (rather than risk losing them entirely). We've sometimes not had precisely the voyages we'd planned but found ways to enjoy the voyages that we got 

11 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I foresee that we’d be doing very little of any of want you mention. DW is not really into the idea of going on zodiac or kayaking outings. Thanks for all the additional info though. Not much interest in the sub. 

Hi, OTJ! We're going on the Octantis from Milwaukee to Toronto next May, so we can give you an update then if you like!

6 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

I have a set of Leki poles which I bought at REI.  I had another set, but they did not collapse short enough to fit into my carry on bag.  What I did was put them in my backpack, with the handles sticking out.  This worked ok for several trips, until they got confiscated by TSA (I knew it was a risk).  Luckily, they were not an expensive set, but I liked them.  

We have Leki poles that have been priceless during icy winter excursions. We pack them in checked luggage.

12 hours ago, ORV said:

If you say so. I don't like having to pack nice clothes late on the last night. But that's just me. 

Even with packing most things early, we're always adding something right up to the 'bags outside the door' deadline. So we don't mind packing one last reasonably nice outfit apiece on the last evening (not talking prom dresses or dinner jackets here). But that's just us 😉

We've noticed lately that some cruise ships and hotels are referring to those inroom devices as "chillers", not refrigerators. Probably a good reason to make arrangements with the medical center for cold storage.

We do enjoy dining on the final evening in whatever on that specific cruise happens to be our favorite specialty restaurant. There's something satisfying in packing for departure early, dressing up a little bit and saying farewell in a more intimate dining setting.

20 minutes ago, CocktailPrincess said:

we are going on a Norwegian cruise and its going to be a bit chilly on deck, but would like to use the hot tubs, would it be acceptable to walk from our cabin to the hot tubs in our robes, to stay cosy outside?

 

I would not walk through any food areas. 

Having seen quite a few people in bathrobes on deck for an Azamara "White Nights" party, we wouldn't be taken aback by anyone heading to the hot tubs wearing bathrobes over their swimwear. Others may have a different attitude😉

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

I got a call from engineering saying the poolside hot tubs on Sirena are the only ones in the fleet that have never had a button to push... The captain can turn on the jacuzzi jets from the bridge and they are allegedly on all day...🙄

Master and Commander and...pool attendant?

10 hours ago, davencl said:

Yes and wild speculation will ensue...   🙂 

6 hours ago, susiesan said:

Someone onboard speculated that another passenger complained that the jets were too strong and knocked him over so management just turned them off.

And here it is! 😁

18 hours ago, susiesan said:

Update to original post: it is now 3 days later and the hot tubs still are disabled. I have not received an explanation or response to my question as to why. 

The moral of this story might be that if no one on the ship can provide a definitive answer, it probably won't be found in a general discussion board...

On 9/5/2023 at 6:36 AM, susiesan said:

I just went up to the spa to check out the hot tub situation.  The jets are working and I can use it.

This rules chengkp75 theory invalid.

Any response from chengkp75 is reasoned and informed by decades of maritime expertise, not mere speculation. His response may not be specific to this Sirena situation but will be true for other vessels.